The stories of diesel engines lasting over several hundred thousand miles are not exaggerated. Mercedes-Benz is known to have several vehicles which have continued to run after , miles, and there is one man who has had a Ford diesel last over 1 million miles.
Not everyone's diesel engine is going to run for over 1 million miles, but with enough care and proper maintenance, these are the kind of upper-end figures you can expect from a diesel engine. If anything, your diesel will probably last you a good couple hundred thousand miles, which is a lot better than a lot of gasoline engines they're putting out these days. Browse our Why exactly do diesel engines last longer? There are several reasons for this.
First of all, diesel engines run on a compression process as opposed to relying on spark ignition. The compression process involves incredibly high pressures and temperatures, and the engine is required to be designed in such a way so as to withstand these forces. Diesel engines also put out a lot of torque.
Diesel engines tend to be built stronger and feature more resilient design features to account for these characteristics. The other reason that diesel engines last so long is that they tend to operate at lower speeds, so all of the moving parts such as piston rings, cylinder walls, bearings, valve trains, and other essential parts are not constantly rubbing together and creating all of the friction and wear and tear that takes its toll on standard gasoline engines.
Still, why do diesel engines last longer? So far we still don't fully understand why the engine needs to be built to be so rugged and reliable. Of course you would think every engine should be built for maximum reliability, but the economics don't always work out that way. However diesel engines manage to be more rugged and reliable than their gasoline peers. Let's take a look at the compression process that necessitates this heavy duty engine construction.
Instead of using a spark to ignite the fuel, air is let into the engine which is compressed to extreme pressures. This compression leads to incredibly high temperatures within the engine, and so any diesel fuel within the engine is ignited in the process. This helps increase the reliability of a diesel engine, as there are no spark plugs or spark wires that require maintenance.
They are 3 major reasons why they last so long:. The first reason why diesel engines last so long compared with gasoline engines comes from the most basic design differences between the two engines. A Chevy Small Block vs.
The crankshaft , camshaft and cylinder heads are all much larger. Internally, diesel engines have much larger bearing sizes which means more oil clearance. More oil lubricating the parts equals less wear. Diesel engines also have a much larger oil capacity. A gas engine will use roughly 1 gallon of oil vs.
Diesel engines are gear driven. There are no timing belts or chains that stretch or break. Gears are fixed and never lose their timing. There are better choices for the environment though these days in terms of fuel economy and emissions, and so if you do have the extra cash to spend upfront, why not try a hybrid? E-Mail Ask Joanne at globedrive globeandmail. Follow us on Twitter: globedrive Opens in a new window. Report an error. Editorial code of conduct.
Skip to main content. Joanne Will. Special to The Globe and Mail. Follow us on Twitter: globedrive Opens in a new window Report an error Editorial code of conduct. Oil lubricates your engine and relieves your engine and other components of any strain. If your diesel car is used for towing or frequently carrying heavy loads, then it is necessary to change the oil more regularly.
Having appropriate oil changes at the correct time frames can make a huge difference to the reliability and running costs of your car. During a service, the oil, fuel and air filters will be replaced.
As one of the most important components of the smooth running of a diesel car, engine coolant should continuously be monitored on a regular basis, however, many diesel owners fail to regularly check the engine coolant levels, leading to a number of issues later on.
The condition of the engine coolant can make every difference to engine longevity. Engine coolant can protect diesel engines from common issues, and can also protect the engine from freezing during colder months. The DPF Diesel Particulate Filter removes soot from the exhaust gas and aims to reduce emissions when you are accelerating by filtering out the bad particles.
Whereas when you are driving on motorways or dual carriageways at a high speed, the DPF is able to clean itself. This is why if you ever experience problems with the DPF on your diesel car, a mechanic will tell you to take your car down the motorway at a high speed and a lower gear!
When leaving for work in the morning, it really does make a difference to your engine longevity to take it easy and allow your car to warm up first before leaving. This also means that you should hold off on the accelerator and avoid using revs too high or too low, as well not following the car first thing in the morning!
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